The invention relates to a solar generator, especially for space craft comprising a plurality of flexible panels or sheets to which the individual solar cells are secured.
Such solar generators are known in the art. For example, German Patent Publication (DE-OS) 2,545,911 illustrates a rotating space craft body comprising several flexible screens to which the solar cells are secured. The screens may be brought from a folded up position into a stretched out or fanned out position. The screen or umbrella ends are equipped with boxes which take up the flexible screens in the folded up condition. These boxes are brought into the unfolding position by centrifugal force whereby the screens or umbrellas are opened up. The movement of the boxes is controlled by extendable carriers.
German Patent Publication (DE-OS) 2,252,093 discloses an arrangement functioning and constructed similarly to the above discussed prior art structure. In German Patent Publication 2,252,093 the screens or umbrellas which carry the solar cells are pulled into a packaging container and the screens are stretched out between frame components which are tilted outwardly or which are extended by parallel displacement. These frame components form the cover of the packaging container.
Both arrangements of the prior art mentioned above have a relatively heavy structure which additionally requires many guide elements which are continuously subject to the danger of canting and jamming.
Another arrangement of the prior art is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,544,041. In this arrangement the solar cells are also secured to a flexible membrane or to a flexible sheet of plastics material. The longitudinal ends of the sheets are clamped into clamping moldings. However, no stiffening elements are provided along the longitudinal edges of the screens so that, although some weight is saved, a trouble-free unfolding of the screens is not assured. Especially, the maintaining of a working position with due regard to the angular location of the screens may cause difficulties. Due to such difficulties, prior art solar generators have been constructed heretofore only for outputs up to 2 kw.